The fifth leg of the FIDE Grand Prix was held in Beijing last month. With only the final leg to go, the overall winner of the Grand Prix is already determined as Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria. But the question of who will join him as one of the eight Candidates in the next cycle of the World Championship is still open. Two places are reserved for the winner and runner-up in the Grand Prix, two from the FIDE World Cup in Norway later in the year, two based on rating, one wild-card for the host of the candidates tournament, and finally the loser of the World Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Vishwanathan Anand in Chennai, India in November.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan became the leading contender to join Topalov with his win in Beijing on 7/11, putting him in second place in the Grand Prix overall. Russian Alexander Grischuk finished second on 6½, ahead of Topalov in third on 6. Only Grischuk or Italian GM Fabiano Caruana can overtake Mamedyarov by winning the final leg.
Today's game is from the seventh round at Beijing, and features a speculative piece sacrifice in the opening by Wang Hao (China) playing with the white pieces against Anish Giri (Netherlands).
1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7
Transposing to the ancient Philidor Defence, named after the greatest player of the 18th Century. 5.Bc4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Be7 7.Bxf7+!? ---
White decides to play in the spirit of the 18th Century himself. The sacrifice is not strictly correct, but proves very hard to defend against over the board. 7.--- Kxf7 8.Ng5+ Ke8
The alternatives lead to a White advantage after either 8 ... Kg6? 9 f4! with the threat of 10 f5+, or a White win after 8... Kg8? 9 Qc4+ d5 10 Nxd5 with a deadly discovered check, or 8... Kf8? 9 Ne6+ winning the queen. 9.Ne6 c5
This resource just saves the queen. 10.Qd1 Qb6 11.Nxg7+ Kf7 12.Nf5 Bf8
White also has an attack after 12... Ne5 13 Nxe7 Kxe7 14 Bg5 Be6 15 f4 Nf7 16 Bxf6+ Kxf6 with the black king still exposed. 13.0-0 d5?!
Opening a path for the queen to defend the kingside, but White can breathe easier now that he obtains a third pawn for the sacrificed piece and with his attack undiminished. Instead 13... Rg8 14 Nd5 Qd8 asks White to justify his sacrifice. 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Qxd5+ Ke8?
Allowing White bring his remaining pieces into the attack. 15... Qe6 slows White down after 16 Qd3 Nf6 17 Re1, since Black should be able to draw the ending after 16 Nh6+ Bxh6 17 Qxe6+ Kxe6 18 Bxh6. 16.Bg5 Qg6
If 16... Qc6, White preserves his queen with 17 Qd2 to continue the attack. 17.Rad1! Rg8
Not 17... Qxg5?? 18 Nd6+ wining the queen. 18.f4 a5
Trying to involve the queen's rook in the defence. After 18... h6 White breaks through with 19 e5! hxg5 (or if 19... Qxf5 20 Qxg8 Qf7 21 Qxf7+ Kxf7 the rook and three pawns outweigh the two minor pieces) 20 e6 Rg7 21 Nxg7+ Qxg7 21 fxg5 with the unstoppable threat of 22 Rf7. 19.e5 Qxf5
Desperation, but if 19... Ra6 20 e6! Rxe6 21 h4! h5 (necessary to stop 22 h5!) 22 Rfe1 Kf7 (22.. Rxe1+ 23 Rxe1+ mates) 23 Nd6+! Bxd6 24 f5! winning. 20.Qxg8 Ra6 21.Rfe1 Rg6
The attempt to blockade the e-pawn 21... Re6 fails to 22 Rd6 Rg6 23 e6! as in the game. 22.e6! Resigns
The queen regenerates herself after 22... Rxg8 23 exd7+ Kf7 24 d8=Q leaving no hope for the defender.
Fide Grand Prix decides next Candidates
Problem: White to play and mate in 5.
The fifth leg of the FIDE Grand Prix was held in Beijing last month. With only the final leg to go, the overall winner of the Grand Prix is already determined as Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria. But the question of who will join him as one of the eight Candidates in the next cycle of the World Championship is still open. Two places are reserved for the winner and runner-up in the Grand Prix, two from the FIDE World Cup in Norway later in the year, two based on rating, one wild-card for the host of the candidates tournament, and finally the loser of the World Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Vishwanathan Anand in Chennai, India in November.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan became the leading contender to join Topalov with his win in Beijing on 7/11, putting him in second place in the Grand Prix overall. Russian Alexander Grischuk finished second on 6½, ahead of Topalov in third on 6. Only Grischuk or Italian GM Fabiano Caruana can overtake Mamedyarov by winning the final leg.
Today's game is from the seventh round at Beijing, and features a speculative piece sacrifice in the opening by Wang Hao (China) playing with the white pieces against Anish Giri (Netherlands).
1.d4 d6
2.e4 Nf6
3.Nc3 e5
4.Nf3 Nbd7
Transposing to the ancient Philidor Defence, named after the greatest player of the 18th Century.
5.Bc4 exd4
6.Qxd4 Be7
7.Bxf7+!? ---
White decides to play in the spirit of the 18th Century himself. The sacrifice is not strictly correct, but proves very hard to defend against over the board.
7.--- Kxf7
8.Ng5+ Ke8
The alternatives lead to a White advantage after either 8 ... Kg6? 9 f4! with the threat of 10 f5+, or a White win after 8... Kg8? 9 Qc4+ d5 10 Nxd5 with a deadly discovered check, or 8... Kf8? 9 Ne6+ winning the queen.
9.Ne6 c5
This resource just saves the queen.
10.Qd1 Qb6
11.Nxg7+ Kf7
12.Nf5 Bf8
White also has an attack after 12... Ne5 13 Nxe7 Kxe7 14 Bg5 Be6 15 f4 Nf7 16 Bxf6+ Kxf6 with the black king still exposed.
13.0-0 d5?!
Opening a path for the queen to defend the kingside, but White can breathe easier now that he obtains a third pawn for the sacrificed piece and with his attack undiminished. Instead 13... Rg8 14 Nd5 Qd8 asks White to justify his sacrifice.
14.Nxd5 Nxd5
15.Qxd5+ Ke8?
Allowing White bring his remaining pieces into the attack. 15... Qe6 slows White down after 16 Qd3 Nf6 17 Re1, since Black should be able to draw the ending after 16 Nh6+ Bxh6 17 Qxe6+ Kxe6 18 Bxh6.
16.Bg5 Qg6
If 16... Qc6, White preserves his queen with 17 Qd2 to continue the attack.
17.Rad1! Rg8
Not 17... Qxg5?? 18 Nd6+ wining the queen.
18.f4 a5
Trying to involve the queen's rook in the defence. After 18... h6 White breaks through with 19 e5! hxg5 (or if 19... Qxf5 20 Qxg8 Qf7 21 Qxf7+ Kxf7 the rook and three pawns outweigh the two minor pieces) 20 e6 Rg7 21 Nxg7+ Qxg7 21 fxg5 with the unstoppable threat of 22 Rf7.
19.e5 Qxf5
Desperation, but if 19... Ra6 20 e6! Rxe6 21 h4! h5 (necessary to stop 22 h5!) 22 Rfe1 Kf7 (22.. Rxe1+ 23 Rxe1+ mates) 23 Nd6+! Bxd6 24 f5! winning.
20.Qxg8 Ra6
21.Rfe1 Rg6
The attempt to blockade the e-pawn 21... Re6 fails to 22 Rd6 Rg6 23 e6! as in the game.
22.e6! Resigns
The queen regenerates herself after 22... Rxg8 23 exd7+ Kf7 24 d8=Q leaving no hope for the defender.
1-0
Solution: 1 Rf7+! Kxf7 (1... Kg8/h8 2 Qh7#) 2 Qh7+! Kf8 (2... Kf6 3 Ne4#) 3 Qxh6+ Kg8/f7 4 d6+ Bd5 5 Bxd5#.